Welcome to Dungeon Hotel

I asked Hwang Seongjin to rest in the guest room for a while until I persuaded Im Hyunggeol.

Hwang Seongjin nodded his head, unable to look at me properly with his face flushed. 

“But here… The sea was so pretty. Is this also an illusion created by the Paladin’s holy power?” 

“Well, that’s right.”

I answered simply.

I wanted to spread the word about how beautiful the sea of Yeongchun-myeon is, but  it would be difficult if my identity was exposed.

I don’t want Yeongchun-myeon to be so crowded with tourists.

‘I’m sure the head of the village will be saddened to hear it.’

Anyway. 

I opened my status window as soon as Hwang Seongjin went up. It was because I was curious about my status window after looking at the status windows of B and C-class Hunters.  

Name: Lee Junghyo

Name: Heart Sniper

Class: Hotel Manager (Hidden) (Lv.10)

Skills: Housekeeping (B), Front Desk (B), Hotelier’s Eye (A)

Stats: Stamina 12 Strength 9 Agility 11 Intelligence 12 Luck 28

Remaining Stats: 4

My skill is very impressive—.

The stats are still E-Class pull-ups. 

The total of stamina, strength, agility is a little over 30.

It is one-third of Lim Hyunggeol, who had a total of 100.

However, the higher the stats go up, the bigger the difference, so the difference in actual physical ability is probably not a 1/3 level, but much more overwhelming.

‘Still, I’m glad I have a level up system.’

This is because the remaining stats are given each time I level up. 

I tried not to think impatiently and put points on my stamina, strength, and agility one by one. 

The other one was taken for intelligence.

I can’t believe my intelligence is going up. What would that feel like?

I tilted my head down to the banquet hall.

Then I saw Lim Hyunggeol’s back as he stood in front of the video of the wave, looking like he was fascinated by it. 

“Student Hyunggeol.” 

I cleared my throat to announce my presence. Lim Hyunggeol, who turned around, wasn’t crying like before. But his eyes seem to be broken on the inside. 

“…Paladin. Did the Paladin come to punish me?”

I tilted my head and looked at Lim Hyunggeol.

“Yes?” 

“That… Hyesung…” 

Hyunggeol pointed to the white cloth with his trembling hand.

The place where my eyes can see the blue waves.

Only then did I realize that that screen was showing the video in the way I used to see it.

The projector screen in room 201.

I passed Lim Hyunggeol and put my hand on the huge white cloth.

Projector screen

— Shows what the person looking at this screen wants to see most right now.

So…this was an item. 

I wrinkled my face.

That’s why Lim Hyunggeol couldn’t even cry and just had a heartbroken face.

I spoke frankly to Lim Hyunggeol. 

“It’s a screen that shows you what you want to see. Hyunggeol seems to miss a friend named Hyesung the most right now.”

Lim Hyunggeol froze at my words.

“I, it can’t be.” 

It’s a lie no matter who sees it

I felt how young Lim Hyunggeol, a B-Class Hunter who would be 30 times stronger than me, was. 

Of course, they are only 6 years younger than me, but Korean high school students grow up without much experience due to academics and competition.

That’s why I feel really young until I’m 20 years old.

As expected, so did I. 

No matter how much I worried about independence or the future, I was just a kid when I was in high school.

A little kid who doesn’t really know what it is to take responsibility for my life.

I spoke in a voice that comforted Lim Hyunggeol.

“I guess it’s your first love.” 

Lim Hyunggeol’s face soon turned red, then turned white, then slowly returned to its original color.

Then Lim Hyunggeol asked me.

“N, noona, didn’t you have…a  first love?” 

“Me?…I have.” 

Was it in the first year of university?

I don’t remember very well.

“We dated for a while but then broke up.”

“Really? But are you okay?” 

“About what?” 

“…Even without that person. Can… you live?” 

Lim Hyunggeol looked at the screen with sad eyes.

Lim Hyunggeol was both cute and pitiful, so I suppressed the laughter that was about to come out. 

To Lim Hyunggeol, who is agonizing over whether it is love or friendship, even debating his life, I don’t have to tell the old-fashioned story that I can’t even remember the name of my first love. 

What’s important is that he cares about his friends so much that he thinks about his life.

Yeah. This is good enough.

I looked at the screen Lim Hyunggeol was watching.

I could still see the refreshing waves in my eyes.

How much I want to see the sea while living in Seoul.

How much that sea has helped me find my lost self.

I told Lim Hyunggeol with that thought.

“Can’t live without something in this world. There’s no such a thing, Student Lim Hyunggeol. Because the most important thing in the world is not friendship or love, but myself. Being sincere and protecting myself is the most important thing.”

Then, I briefly explained the functions of the banquet hall to Lim Hyunggeol and asked him if he would like to have a conversation with Hwang Seongjin.

Lim Hyunggeol pondered for a moment, then he asked.

“What if… What if Seongjin finds out my true feelings and gets angry and doesn’t see me again?””

“You have to accept that too. The most important thing for me is myself after all. Friends and lovers I meet while denying myself are useless.”

Lim Hyunggeol nodded at my words.

It was a determined face.

“I understand, Noona.”

Somehow… I felt like I had two younger brothers.

* * *

That’s how I called my two younger brothers into the banquet hall.

The two stood in front of the screen as if they were competing.

Toto stood next to Lim Hyunggeol and Geumdong stood next to Hwang Seongjin, as if preparing for an unexpected military situation.

I met eyes with the two.

“Well then… For the next 10 minutes, you can ask each other what you want to ask. Got it?”

“Yes.” 

“Yes.” 

The two high school boys answered. I chanted.

“Oath of truth, activate.”

My eyes blinked white for a moment, then returned to normal.

The two men hesitated and looked at me.

“I think that’s enough. You can ask each other.”

The two looked into each other’s eyes and remained silent. 

Lim Hyunggeol looked at the ground for no reason, and Hwang Seongjin sighed for a moment. Surprisingly, Hwang Seongjin was the first to speak. 

“You… You like Hyesung, right?” 

Lim Hyunggeol hesitated for a moment, then he looked at me. 

I looked at Lim Hyunggeol with the feeling of an older sister cheering for his younger brother. 

Lim Hyunggeol nodded his head.

“Eung.” 

“But why did you dump Hyesung? Because you feel sorry for me?” 

“It’s not like that! I… I… I just like being friends with you. I was afraid I’d lose you. We’re supposed to choose the same subject next year.”

…?

So they weren’t even high school seniors.

I suddenly realized the fact and smacked my lips.

Then Hwang Seongjin asked a stronger question.

“But why did you use Ice Bolt so late? Why did you hesitate?”

A dark shadow fell over Lim Hyunggeol’s face.

Lim Hyunggeol’s gaze turned to Hwang Seongjin’s leg, which was still bandaged.

Lim Hyunggeol stayed still with a dark face, and Hwang Seongjin said.

“…Have you ever regretted not doing well with Hyesung because of me, even for a moment?”

Lim Hyunggeol bit his lip.

He seemed afraid of his own sincerity, which he couldn’t even face, which would come out of him if he opened his mouth.

But he soon opened his mouth.

“There is. I even thought that without you, Hyesung and I would do well.”

“…As expected.” 

Skepticism was written all over Hwang Seongjin’s face. 

Hwang Seongjin laughed bitterly and pointed at Lim Hyunggeol, who bowed his face deeply.

“I’m done with you now. Forget it. I heard everything I wanted to hear.”

“…But that’s not the only reason I hesitated! It’s my first time seeing monsters! So I was surprised! I was afraid!”

“You’re a B-Class! You always act proud in front of me… Is there anything you’re afraid of?”

“Seongiin-ah…!”

Hwang Seongjin glared at Lim Hyunggeol with an angry face.

“Don’t come near me!”

Hwang Seongjin shouted at Lim Hyunggeol and limped to leave the banquet hall.

Geumdong tried to walk towards Hwang Seongjin with a puzzled face. I grabbed Geumdong’s arm.

“Stay still.”

“But…”

I looked at Toto and said it with the shape of my mouth.

‘Now.’

This was the timing.

I asked Toto to use an illusion in advance when the two high school students reached such a catastrophe.

Toto’s eyes flashed.

And at that moment, Hwang Seongjin and Lim Hyunggeol screamed.

“P, Paladin!”

“What is that?! Why is there an ogre here…!”

This would be the ‘chance of choice’ that I can give to both guests.

*****

Lim Hyunggeol screamed as he saw the ogre appearing right in front of him.

“Argh!”

Up until now, Lim Hyunggeol and Hwang Seongjin were clearly within the Paladin’s sanctuary. 

But now, neither the Paladin nor the Paladin’s spirits were visible.

Instead, only Hwang Seongjin, who fell down while screaming at the ogre, and himself stood in the ogre’s forest.

“What is this?! Ugh, go away!”

The ogre started to attack Hwang Seongjin. 

Hwang Seongjin seemed to have difficulty moving due to a leg injury. Lim Hyunggeol urgently tried to use the skill.

“Ice Bolt!!” 

But the snowflakes that fell from his hands disappeared right away. 

“Damn it! Why are my skills not working!”

It was then.

The ogre swung a bat at Hwang Seongjin, who was within range of the ogre. Hwang Seong-jin narrowly rolled his body to avoid it.

Lim Hyunggeol watched it and tried to use the skill over and over again, but his skill continued to fade in his hand.

W, what should I do? 

It was when Lim Hyunggeol was thinking.

This time, the ogre raised the bat again to Hwang Seongjin, who was completely cornered.

There was no time to think more. Lim Hyunggeol rushed to Hwang Seongjin.

“Seongjin-ah!” 

“You crazy brat, go away! Run away when the ogre—!” 

Hwang Seongjin cursed and tried to drive Lim Hyunggeol away, but Lim Hyunggeol was already standing in front of the ogre’s bat.

He was driven by instinct rather than thought.

Lim Hyunggeol helped Hwang Seongjin to stand up.

The ogre’s bat narrowly missed the two and fell.

“Crazy brat, crazy brat. What’s wrong with you! You said you’d do well with Hyesung without me! Then why don’t you run away and do well with Hyesung?”

“It has nothing to do with feeling that way and saving you!”

Lim Hyunggeol shouted, dodging the ogre’s bat with difficulty.

At that, Hwang Seongjin asked with a dumbfounded face.

“What?” 

Hwang Seongjin blankly looked at Lim Hyunggeol. Then Lim Hyunggeol asked.

“Will you be like that? You won’t save me because you hate me? Are you going to let me die!”

Hwang Seongjin gritted it.

“You crazy brat! That’s why I told you to run away when the ogre comes!”

Tears welled up in Hwang Seongjin’s eyes. He shouted as he stood in the way between Lim Hyunggeol and the ogre. 

“Damn it! Please take care of Hyesung!” 

Lim Hyunggeol seemed to understand what the pretty Paladin Noona said earlier.

‘Being sincere and protecting myself is the most important thing’

‘Friends and lovers I meet while denying myself are useless.’

Lim Hyunggeol was an inevitable loser.

In fact, it was also true that he hesitated to use the ice bolt when Seongjin was almost attacked by a crocodile.

It was also true that his love for Hyesung and fear of monsters were mixed in that heart.

He couldn’t deny that. However, Lim Hyunggeol wanted to be a person who would protect his friends until the end.

Even if he hesitated for a moment, he eventually wanted to come running to Seongjin.

That was how Lim Hyunggeol faithfully protected himself.

The moment he realized that, after Lim Hyunggeol became aware of his feelings for Hyesung, he was able to get rid of the self-hatred that had been tormenting him.

Lim Hyunggeol pushed Hwang Seongjin’s body away and shouted as he rushed at the ogre.

“You protect Hyesung!”

At that moment, a window appeared in front of Lim Hyunggeol.

You have acquired the ‘Prison Spear (A)’ skill as a reward for removing status ailments.